Automatic connecter



Jan. '11, 1927. I 1,613,825

' G. A. HARMON AUTOMATIC CONNECTER 1 Filed Feb. 9. 1925 2 Sheets- Sheet1 INVENTOR Gddfcwmon 44 ATTORNEYS G. A. HARMQN AUTOMATIC CONNECTER Jan.1;, 1927. 1,613,825

Filed Feb. 9. 1925 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I ATTORNEYS Patented Jan.11, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

GEORGE ALBERT HARMON, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN RE-FLEX-LITE COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

AUTOMATIC oonnnc'rnn.

Application filed February 9, 1925. Serial- No. 8,047.

nection for a lighting fixture which carries a plurality of circuits forthe lamps supported by said fixture, the sections of the connecter beingadapted to be disconnected by releasing a cable which maintains thefixture in position and the circuit closed.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawingforming a part of the specification; nevertheless it is to be understoodthat the invention is not confined to the disclosure, being susceptibleof such changes and modifications which shall define nomaterialdeparture from the salient features of the invention as expressed in theappended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the electrical connecter for a lightingfixture.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a detail of a switchwhich isadapted tobe automatically broken when desired.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the connecter.

Figure. 4 is a view in perspective of the sections of the connecter indetached relation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 designates a threadednipple having a flange 2 which is adapted to be secured to the ceilingof a room. The threaded nipple is adapted to be screwed into a threadedpassage 3 in the upper end of a metal body 4- of the upper section ofthe connector. This section is provided with an annular flange 5 uponwhich are adapted to be mounted a plurality 'of insulating blocks 6.Other insulating blocks 7 vertically alining with the blocks 6 areadapted to be connected together by means of screws 8 passing throughperforations in the flange 5.

The head and nuts on the screws are seated within recesses 12 in theopposite ends of the blocks 6 and 7 and covered by any form ofinsulating material, such as sealing wax. The blocks 6 are seated uponsheets of insulating material 13 which are disposed upon opposite facesof the flange 5 and are perforated to receive the conducting sleeves 14which have a flaring mouth 15 and a threaded upper end 16 into which areadapted to be screwed or secured the bolts 17. The sleeve 14 and thebolts 17 which form an integral construction, are locked in place in theblocks 6 and 7 by means of the flaring mouth 15 engaging the conicallyshaped wall 18 in the block 7, and a pair of nuts 19 screwed onto thethreaded end of the member 17. The sleeve 14 passes through aperforation lined with an insulating sleeve 20, said sleeve preventingthe currents from being short-circuited through the flange 5.

It will be noted that in each pair of blocks 6 and 7, a pair of thesleeves and screws are posit oned; Each sleeve is adapted to slidablyreceive the upper end of a conductor 21 which is locked in place in apair of insulating blocks 22 and 23 secured by means of a threaded bolt24 to the opposite faces of a flange 25 formed upon the lower section 26of the connecter. A pair of nuts 27 and a nut 28 lock'the conductor 21in position. It will also be not-ed that sheets of insulating material13 are located upon opposite faces of the flange 25 which has a passageof sutficient diameter to receive a sleeve 29 of insulating materialwhich permits the conductor 21 to be inserted through the same butprevent short-circuiting or sparking when the circuit'is closed.

The section 4 of the connecter has a depending apron 30 which has aslot, as shown at 31, adapted to receive a lug 32'located in the hollowportion 33 of the body member 26 and thereby guide the section 26 forcausing the conductors 21 to be forced within their respective sleeves14 in the upper section 4. It will be noted that the lower end of theapron 30 is sheared off as shown at 35 so that the lower edge will actas a cam for causing the lower section to be revolved when the same isbeing moved into position with the upper section as the curved edge ofthe apron rides on the V-shaped edge 32* of the lug 32. In the centralportion of the chamber 33 of the body or section 26 is a sleeve ortubing 36 cast integrally with the body 26 and which has a centralpassage 37 adapted to receive a cable 38. i The lower end of the passage37 opens into a pocket which provides a shoulder 39 at the lower end ofthe section 26 which is adapted to form a seat for a knot or enlargement510 for the cable 88 and prevents the cable from passing through thepassage 37.

The upper end of the sleeve 36 terminates, as shown at 41, adjacent theupper end of the body of the section 4, with the cable passing through apassage in the threaded nipple l and then is entrained over pulleys andthrough the partitions of the building to an operating drum. The recessor pocket 42 at the lower end of the section 26 is threaded adapted toreceive a connecter 43 by which the usual lighting fixtures 44 aresuspended or connected to the section 26.

To the nuts 19 are secured the usual wires leading from the housecurrent while the wires completing the circuit to the lamps of thelighting fixture are connected by nuts 27 to the conductors 21 and theseare connected in pairs.

It will be seen that by releasing the cable 38 the wei ht of the fixtureand the section :26 will be suflicient to cause the body 26 to be movedoutwardly from the body 4; and permit the conductors 21 to move out ofthe sleeves 14 and thereby break the cir cuit between the house currentand the lamps. V hen the cable is wound upon the drum, the fixture iselevated and when the lug 32 is drawn into contact with the sheared edge85 of the apron 30, the lug will ride upon said edge which acts as a camand causes the body portion 26 to be revolved sufliciently until the lug32 falls into the slot 31 whence the conductors 21 are properlypositioned within the sleeves 14.

it will also be noted that the apron is of such a lengththat theconductors 21 are maintained sufiiciently away from the sleeve 1% thatno short-circuiting will occur when the sections of the connecter arebrought into position.

Vhat I claim is: I

1. An automatic eonnecter comprising two sections formed of metal havinginterfltting parts, each of said sections being provided with an annularflange, insulating blocks mounted upon opposite sides of each flange,

and means for securing the blocks together,

a pair of electrodes mounted in the blocks of one of the sections andhaving a pair of expanded fingers, the blocks of the other section beingprovided with electrodes having projecting ends adapted to be receivedwithin the expanded fingers of the first mentioned electrodes, one ofthe sections being provided with a split guide having its free endprovided with a cam portion, the other section being provided with asleeve adapted to be received within the guide, and a lug engageablewith the cam portion for positioning the sections in cooperativeelectrically connecting relation.

An automatic connecter comprising two sections formed of metal havinginterfltting parts, each of said sections being provided with an annularflange, insulating blocks mounted upon opposite sides of each flange andspaced circumferentially around the flange, means for securing theblocks togetl'ier, electrodes projecting from the blocks of one section,the blocks on the'other section being provided with passages, expandedfingers located in each passage adapted to receive the projectingelectrodes of the blocks of the other section, said sections havingcooperating members adapted to cause alinement of the insulating blocksso that the projecting electrodes will be forced into the expandedfingers when the sections are brought together.

3. An automatic connecter comprising two sections formed of metal havinginterfitting parts, each of said sections being provided with an annularflange, insulating blocks mounted upon opposite sides of each flange,and means for securing the blocks together, a pair of electrodes mountedin the blocks of one of the sections and having a pair of expandedfingers, the blocks of the other section being provided with electrodeshaving projecting ends adapted to be received within the expandedfingers of the first mentioned electrodes, a cam carried by one of thesections, means on the other section and cooperating with the cam forguiding the sections toward each other in such a position that theinsulating blocks will be brought 1 together in end to end alinement.

GEORGE ALBERT HARMON.

